Universal Orlando Resort (USO, IOA) Discussion Thread

[jedimaster1227]

I think this is what is going on the current JP arch. And more than likely the reason that construction is going on by the JP area is for JW. Who knows though, it could be for the King Kong ride.

 

It is definitely for the Kong ride. Jurassic Park isn't being rebranded as Jurassic World at this time.

[Diamondbacker27]

I think this is what is going on the current JP arch. And more than likely the reason that construction is going on by the JP area is for JW. Who knows though, it could be for the King Kong ride.

 

It is definitely for the Kong ride. Jurassic Park isn't being rebranded as Jurassic World at this time.

That's kind of good, I think the arch should still Say Jurassic Park. As that is the original name for the first three movies. But, I'm sure the JP area will get something for the 2015 season along side the movie.

[jedimaster1227]

^The arch is simply being relocated to accommodate the addition of the Skull Island mini-realm, as far as I knew. I believe the arch will return exactly as it was in a new location deeper into the slightly smaller Jurassic Park island.

[disney4me2001]

When I heard that Sharknado was on the survey, I instantly thought of this:

 

 

Let's take a moment to remember that this is a thing that existed. It was at USH (not UOR), and not for very long, but it existed nonetheless!

[Jew]

Aside from the terrible duet that completely derailed the show, it wasn't bad...as long as you understood that it was supposed to be cheesy. Which is why it bombed.

[buck funny]

i am going to orlando this january (12-19) with my girlfriend and some friends who have 3 kids 4,6,9 yr.

 

my girlfriend and i would like to go to universal islands and wonder if there is much to do for the younger kids.

 

I prefer the islands side if i had to pick only one because i would like hulk, duelling dragons (maybe hyppogryph) i can't really see springing for both parks in one day. my girlfriend is less a coaster fan and more of a harry potter fan.

 

any advice?

 

( i also wan't to go to seaworld for kraken, but don't know if i can justify the price for just one coaster?)

[GwaziBSRider1]

IOA has Seuss Landing, which is a nice kids area with a decent amount of stuff for them. Plus, you have the Hippogriff coaster. If your girlfriend is a Potter fan, I would think you'd want to do both parks. Plus, there's another nice kids area in the Studios park.

 

SeaWorld is much more than Kraken. Manta and Journey to Atlantis are both great coasters that are well worth your time. If you see all of the animal exhibits and maybe a show or two, you'll definitely get your money's worth.

[Brad Bishop]

Is the general consensus that Rip Ride Rockit that it's not a good coaster? I made my first visit to the resort yesterday and it ended up being my favorite coaster attraction on the entire property though a lot of my friends were kind of indifferent toward it.

 

My daughter (20yo) loves it. I think that the twisted loop is kind of cool but, overall, it's just an OK/sort of good coaster to me. Nothing particularly amazing about it other than that twisted loop.

[KingRCT3]

I loved my ride on HRRR back in 2011. It's smooth enough (nothing unbearable), has quite an unusual and different layout, pops of air on each MCBR and some great drops. I remember the last helix to be surprisingly intense too.

Though it's been a while, and since then I rode a load more of coaster.

[buck funny]

Thanks for the help.

It turns out our friends with the kids will go to seaworld while we go to universal. their kids haven't read harry potter yet or got into marvel, and they wanted something more for the little ones. (plus they found a buy one get one free seaworld discount). wow, park admissions are expensive down there. For a family of 5 with kids $95- $135 a day is a bit pricey.

 

So it will just be my girlfriend and i going to universal.

If your girlfriend is a Potter fan, I would think you'd want to do both parks.

 

I am assuming it will be quiet in mid january. is it reasonable to do both sides in one day?

Our priority would be: potter/ coasters (hulk, duelling dragons, hippogryph, gringotts, potterTrain, ripRideRocket)

 

$135x2 is a lot, but we aren't going to get to florida very often.... (and i did just make a trip to munich with the sole purpose of riding olympia looping)

[OrlandoGuy]

^you can most definitely do both parks in one day in January. Just get there at park opening and start out at Diagon Alley in Universal Studios. You will have enough time to do your priorities and then some. If youre only gonna be in Orlando once in the next few years, I'd say it's worth it to go all out and do both parks.

[DBru]

Random question, but does Gringotts have any airtime?

[BlahBlahson]

^No. Not a lick of it. Mummy has a nice pop at the top of the launch and HRRR has some in the pop-up into the brake sections.

 

Thanks for the help.

It turns out our friends with the kids will go to seaworld while we go to universal. their kids haven't read harry potter yet or got into marvel, and they wanted something more for the little ones. (plus they found a buy one get one free seaworld discount). wow, park admissions are expensive down there. For a family of 5 with kids $95- $135 a day is a bit pricey.

 

So it will just be my girlfriend and i going to universal.

If your girlfriend is a Potter fan, I would think you'd want to do both parks.

 

I am assuming it will be quiet in mid january. is it reasonable to do both sides in one day?

Our priority would be: potter/ coasters (hulk, duelling dragons, hippogryph, gringotts, potterTrain, ripRideRocket)

 

$135x2 is a lot, but we aren't going to get to florida very often.... (and i did just make a trip to munich with the sole purpose of riding olympia looping)

 

Sending the Kids to Seaworld is a solid idea, Universal has great playgrounds and enough to do for children but if they don't get Potter then that cuts out a big chunk of it.

 

In mid-January you will have no issue whatsoever doing every major attraction you want to do. Unless you have Hotel early access or really want the Pteradon Flyers Credit, I recommend starting at Studios park opening with Despicable Me, Rip Ride-Rockit, Transformers, Mummy, then hopping over to Islands of Adventure via Hogwarts Express to do Forbidden Journey, Hippogryph/Shops, JP River Adventure (not terribly wet), Skip Toon Lagoon (very wet for January), Spiderman, Hulk, Cat in the Hat, then Ride Dueling Dragons and eat lunch in Lost Continent/Three Broomsticks/Leaky Cauldron. Hop back over on HExpress, check the time, and do the soon-departing Disaster Ride(a bit longer timewise though), Diagon Alley, Men in Black, Simpsons Ride, E.T Woody Woodpecker, and if you have time the Horror Make-Up Show or Terminator. And then in one day you've done all of universal, and at swift pace this itinerary is doable (I would expect every single line on this list to be 5-10 minutes in the order listed, except for Gringott's. It's not like Disney World at all.). And of course you can skip a lot that you're not interested in to spend more time exploring Diagon/theming anywhere or go in a different order. I just find this the most efficient way to do a ride-based itinerary, mostly because it gets three longer lines in Despicable/HRRR/Transformers out of the way immediately, you are near the better restaurants around midday, and you end up doing only one loop around each park.

Edited December 3, 2014 by BlahBlahson

[OrlandoGuy]

Random question, but does Gringotts have any airtime?

 

No

[cfc]

^It's much more a dark ride than a coaster.

[ThunderPup44]

Gringotts has a great coaster element to start but it's really an immersive 3D experience that together with Forbidden Journey are two of the most technologically advanced themepark rides you can go on today. I can spend three hours just wondering around Diagon Alley and exploring its nooks & crannies so if that interests you be prepared to spend more time there than Blah suggests. I also think the food is better at the Leaky Cauldon in Diagon Alley. Be sure to grab some Butterbeer soft serve ice cream at Florian Fortescue's. You also do not need to pay for an Express Pass in January. The Mummy ride has airtime btw

[GwaziBSRider1]

Thanks for the help.

It turns out our friends with the kids will go to seaworld while we go to universal. their kids haven't read harry potter yet or got into marvel, and they wanted something more for the little ones. (plus they found a buy one get one free seaworld discount). wow, park admissions are expensive down there. For a family of 5 with kids $95- $135 a day is a bit pricey.

 

So it will just be my girlfriend and i going to universal.

If your girlfriend is a Potter fan, I would think you'd want to do both parks.

 

I am assuming it will be quiet in mid january. is it reasonable to do both sides in one day?

Our priority would be: potter/ coasters (hulk, duelling dragons, hippogryph, gringotts, potterTrain, ripRideRocket)

 

$135x2 is a lot, but we aren't going to get to florida very often.... (and i did just make a trip to munich with the sole purpose of riding olympia looping)

 

I went the first week of January in 2012, and I was able to do both sides in a day without issue. The itinerary mentioned earlier is a very good one for you to follow, although I'd add ET to that list. If the crowds are a little high and you don't mind being separated, take advantage of the single rider lines. I know Mummy, Men in Black, and the Rockit all have one, but there are probably more that do as well.

[A.J.]

Random question, but does Gringotts have any airtime?

No, but it's definitely a coaster. Really big surprise right at the beginning though, caught me off guard.

[jarmor]

Is the beginning element not considered a firm of airtime?

[jedimaster1227]

http://www.orlandosentinel.com/travel/attractions/theme-park-rangers-blog/os-universal-holiday-parade-music-20141208-post.html

 

Holiday dreams do come true. Here's evidence: The music that accompanies the Macy's Holiday Parade at Universal Studios theme park has been changed.

 

It's not that the previous soundtrack -- dominated by Darlene Love's "Let Your Heart Take Flight" -- wasn't festive enough or difficult to march along with. But the endless loop made some people loopy. The parade was about 25 minutes long, and the loudspeakers along the route started up with "Flight" long before the parade arrived.

 

"I think it’s magical because it has so many Christmas tunes throughout," said Lora Wallace, a show director for Universal. "It’s a soundtrack, so it’s not one song that you're going to hear over and over and over. It’s 23 minutes of music. That makes us all happy. You don’t get tired of it."

 

The lead vocals were performed by New York-based singer William Blake. It was recorded in July, he said. The update -- created by the Emmy-winning team of William Schermerhorn and Doug Katsoris -- is an "upgrade," Blake said.

 

"It’s fun because it ties in the California and New York element – we have both cities in one place here at Universal Studios," he said.

 

“It’s got this big-band, big-city feel. It makes you feel like you’re in New York City." Wallace said. "The tempo is just driving, and it’s dance-y and it’s parade-y."

 

Macy's Holiday Parade is part of Universal's celebration that runs daily through Jan. 3. For more information, go to universalorlando.com.

[robbalvey]

Here's a look at Christmas at Universal Orlando!

 

Today we are at Universal Orlando checking out Christmas!

 

Hanging out Universal Orlando today for the start of their Grinchmas & Macy's Parade!

 

Which one is the real Grinch?

 

The Grinch is one bad-ass mofo!

 

New balloon "Chloe" premiering in the Macy's Holiday Parade this year!

 

John Piper from Macy's Parade gives us some backstory of Chloe the clown balloon. This balloon is a rolling character with a driver inside. It was used in the NYC parade this year.

 

Warning NSFW! We were allowed to go inside Chloe!

 

Here's what the inside of a Macy's Parade balloon looks like!

 

Some of the characters from the Macy's Parade.

 

Checking out the Grinchmas show!

 

Cindy-Lou Who sings about Christmas.

 

The star of the show! The Grinch!

 

Cindy-Lou Who teaches The Grinch all about Christmas!

 

Santa Grinch delivers the presents and everything is great in Whoville again!

[vine]

[/vine]

 

The Macy's Holiday Parade has begun!

 

Hooray for flying hippos!

 

Guess what? HIPPO BUTT!!!

 

It's like being back in New York City!

 

How's it going, mother goose?

 

Chloe says "I will kill all of you!!!"

 

Santa closes out the parade!

 

But I prefer hanging out with Santa's Helpers!

 

The Universal Studios Christmas tree lights up the sky!

 

Rip Ride Rockit glowing over the Mannheim Steamroller stage.

 

Great night at Universal Orlando covering their Christmas events!

Edited December 10, 2014 by robbalvey

[bbomser]

There was a bit of controversy with what people call these "driving balloons". I've always known them as "Falloons" (Float-Balloons), others this year called them "Bloats". Regardless, pretty cool that you were able to get inside. That photo reminds me of the rhino birth scene from Ace Ventura: When Nature Calls, haha.

Edited December 11, 2014 by bbomser

[robbalvey]

^ That was exactly what I was trying to go for, but we were able to go all the way in and then come back out again. Oh, well... next time, maybe!

[cfc]

^I think you should get your own "driving balloon" and use it as your regular car.

 

I have yet to visit any Universal park over Christmas, but it looks like they do a good job.

[rmsy]

Would anyone happen to know the purpose of the headsets that the attendants wear at Hollywood Rip Ride Rockit? They caught my eye when I was watching Jimmy Fallon and Kevin Hart ride on The Tonight Show. I don't think I've ever seen anything like them before. They can be seen in this video: